Weekend in Numbers

20 – Scotland’s World Cup-bound defender Grant Hanley helped Hibernian defeat Dundee 2-0 at Easter Road in the William Hill Premiership. Kieran Bowie and Jamie McGrath were on target for David Gray’s side as they made it four wins and a draw in their last six matches. Scotland hopeful Bowie has scored four league goals this season – three of them have been against Dundee, with the other coming against neighbours Dundee United. Hibs are now unbeaten in their last 20 home matches against Dundee – their last defeat was back in October 2001, when Gavin Rae and Steven Milne scored in a 2-1 Dundee win, with Craig Brewster on the scoresheet for Hibs.  

13 – In the week that Scotland ended their 28-year World Cup drought, Falkirk ended a hoodoo of their own with a 3-0 away win over Dundee United in the William Hill Premiership. The victory ended Falkirk’s run of 13 matches without a win at Tannadice – their last win was a 5-1 success on New Year’s Day 2007. Goals from Calvin Miller and Brian Graham, plus a Yevhenii Kucherenko own goal made it 13 points from the last 6 matches for John McGlynn’s side. This was the Bairns’ biggest away win in the top flight since December 2007, when they defeated Motherwell 3-0 at Fir Park thanks to two goals from Michael Higdon and one from Patrick Cregg.

12 – Ayr United, former club of Scotland heroes Lawrence Shankland and Scott McKenna, climbed to third in the William Hill Championship thanks to a 1-0 victory over Airdrieonians at the Albert Bartlett Stadium. Mark McKenzie scored the only goal of the game as Scott Brown’s side held on for a crucial victory despite being reduced to 10 men on the hour mark. The Honest Men have now recorded 12 consecutive wins over the Diamonds, a run which stretches back to February 2018. The only time Ayr have ever had a longer winning run against a single opponent was when they defeated Stenhousemuir 13 times in a row between 1986 and 1988.

4 – Scotland scored four goals against Denmark in midweek, and Inverness Caledonian Thistle followed suit by thumping Queen of the South 4-0 at the Sarens PSG Stadium in William Hill League 1. Liam Sole, Chanka Zimba, Adam MacKinnon and Alfie Bavidge were all on the scoresheet as Scott Kellacher’s side made it five wins and five clean sheets in a row. Inverness have scored 61 goals in 24 matches this season, including nine victories by a margin of three or more goals. This was the biggest winning margin for either side in this fixture – both sides had beaten the other by three goals, but before Saturday there had never been a four-goal win.

4 – At Hampden Park on Tuesday night, a team in blue overcame the odds to defeat a team in red and white, and it was a case of history repeating at the Vanloq Community Stadium on Saturday as Stranraer pulled off a shock 4-0 win over William Hill League 2 leaders Spartans. Deryn Lang, Mark Russell, Aaron Quigg and Evan Dunne all scored in the first half as Chris Aitken’s side secured a victory which moved them up to sixth in the table. The Blues have five wins and two draws in their last eight matches in all competitions, with their only defeat coming against East Kilbride. This was Stranraer’s biggest away win in three and a half years, since they defeated Albion Rovers 5-0 at Cliftonhill in March 2022.